


Just Anija and Genji

by Randomscreamfest



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Bad Parenting, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Depression, M/M, POV Multiple, Redemption, Romance takes a backseat while I flesh out brotherhood, Shimada Brothers, Time Skips, Verbal Abuse, and then the romance kicks back in, dealing with body issues, fleshing out the backstory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 12:51:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10967613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Randomscreamfest/pseuds/Randomscreamfest
Summary: The wars of the soul are always harder to deal with then the wars of body. Nothing is harder then convincing yourself that you want to kill your brother, Yet here Hanzo sits, his bow against the wall, the warm press of well worn cotton against his shoulders, wishing that the burn in his throat could actually make fire, that he could burn himself alive to get away.Siblings are the hardest thing to have, to help, to deal with. They are mirrors of yourselves in the worst way, but the world doesn't care and shows you anyway.





	1. The Actual Shimada Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> So the uprising event came out and my heart was so happy, but I had so many questions. Like how does the blackwatch Genji become the Genji we know? What does this mean for how Genji knew OW? And as I lay in bed trying to redeem my cyborg son, this built itself and made me a mess. This holds many headcannons that I seem to hold alone. I’m playing fast and loose with the cannon. (But not loose enough that it’s going to deviate from the given shit too much)  
> Ft. Actual siblings Shimada Brothers, Redemption arcs, Messy reasoning, multiple POV, and Time Skips.

In the beginning, Hanzo Shimada had thought to follow his father’s path. Each step laid out in perfect order for him to stay above it all. Father’s plans never accounted for Genji.   
-  
“Anija!” Genji rounded the corner quickly, hand raised up as he slammed into the far wall and rolled off with martial artist grace. He stumbled into Hanzo’s outstretched arms, gripping the brother’s clothes with clenched fists..  
“Sensei took the day off! We can go hang out at the arcade!” he said.   
Hanzo smiled softly. “That’s all you ever want to do on our days off, go to the arcade, some would say you’re addicted” he teased gently as he rubbed his brother’s short dark hair.   
The smile split his brother’s face, “I just wanna beat you at something Anija.”   
The sunlight drifting in through the windows lit up the younger’s face, making him glow, burning away the shadows and darkness of their lives in that split second. No combat training, no blood or money, no dragons, just Anija and Genji.  
A breeze swept through the hall, far too cold for the heated house or the budding of spring outside. On it a soft voice rang, light and condescending, “I doubt the Sparrow could ever beat the Twin Dragons at anything.” Genji froze at the nickname and his grin flickered for a moment but steadied into a twisted grin as his focus shifted off his brother. “After all it's a matter of legacy, and the second son will never truly live up to the first.” Hanzo turned to face the lilting voice.  
“What do you want Michio-san?”   
A man stepped out of the shadows, the deep red and ink black of his clothing seemed to cling to the shadows despite stepping into the full light. “Why Shimada-san, such a ugly tone you take with your aunt’s friends. But I’ll let it slide this time, you must have much on your mind.” Hanzo’s mouth twisted into a grimace as Michio smile grew. “After all your father’s condition is only getting worse, yet you let yourself be pulled aside by a fluttering distraction of a bird, rather than be by his side-”  
“My father doesn't need me by his bedside when the elders spend so much time in that room there isn't enough room for me.” Hanzo interjected sharply. “And I would mind your tone, you may be under my aunt's protection, but even that has its limits in this house.”  
Genji’s breath stilled as the tension in the hallway grew, the two stared each other down. Michito broke first, he smirked and adjusted his hair out of his eyes. “All of our protections run out someday.”  
Genji’s hand twitched for where he normally kept his sword but Hanzo’s hand stopped him. Gently he guided his brother out of the hall and away from the twisted smirk of Michito and out into the early spring air.   
Hanzo could tell his brother’s anger as they walked out towards the gate, Michito always was able to get a rise out of one of the brothers, but just for today Hanzo wanted some time away from the pressures of his life. “Genji there’s someone I want you to meet”  
-  
The Ramen shop was a little store on a less traveled side street around the arcade. It wasn't a nice neighborhood by any stretch of the imagination, the dirt and stench spoke to at least a few homeless people, and at least a few lower gangbangers. Hanzo didn't particularly care for the area of town but it was discrete and that was what he needed from it. As the brothers wandered into the shop they weren't spared a glance, for once just another pair of young kids getting mixed up with the wrong crowd. Hanzo let the younger to a table in the corner, setting his back to the corner so he could have the best view of the shop. “What I'm going to tell you doesn't leave this table” he said as Genji set down across from his brother.  
“I thought we were here to meet someone Anija” his voice teased but one sharp, nervous, glance from the elder shut it down fast.   
Hanzo took a deep breath. “I'm going to introduce you to my boyfriend-” Genji’s soft intake of breath was enough to make the elder pause and take a good look at his brother. A simmer of worry set low in his stomach, but as he inspected his brother’s face he found excitement rather than disgust. A soft moment of acceptance passed before Genji ruined it.  
“Well now I'm going to have to find you the prettiest husband, Anija you should have told me, I wouldn't have been looking for a wife for you this entire time.” Hanzo groaned and rubbed his face gently.   
“I’d rather you didn't-”  
“But I'm so far behind now! Years of work thrown aside!” the younger lamented dramatically, “you’ll have to make it up to me, buy my hair dye and I’ll consider forgiving you for ruining my matchmaking process.”   
The chuckle that left Hanzo’s mouth was completely unbidden and he rolled his eyes. His mouth fell open to playfully chastise his brother for his wish to have electric green hair when A new patron entered the shop and scanned the room before landing on Hanzo. The elder paused and smiled back at the newcomer ever so slightly.   
Genji turned and made eye contact with the blonde man who walked up and Hanzo could feel his headache start up.  
-  
“You didn't say he was American.” Thankfully Genji’s question’s had waited until they had gotten back to the house and Hanzo had climbed into the mat next to his brother’s.  
“You didn't even know he existed until today.”  
“How long have you been dating?”   
“A few months, it's hard to meet with my schedule.”  
“How do you kiss with all the weird whiskers in the way?”   
“For your information they actually feel good sometimes.”  
“Have you fucked him yet?” there’s a distinct pause in the dark. Genji pushed his brother’s shoulder with a gasp as the silence stretched. “You have! You have to tell me everything!”   
“No way in hell. Next question.”   
“Will you ever tell father?” Genji’s question got suddenly serious in the way that everything with Genji did.   
“When has he ever listened?” Hanzo’s counter question sat in the air for to long, making the silence stifling.  
Genji broke it. “How did the two of you meet?”  
-  
It was a hot day in the cusp of fall when they met. A day out with his father, where he had managed to slip his guard and his father, and now wandered the park alone for the first moment in hours. The sounds of small children’s delighted screams a soft backdrop to the park bench people watching. He noticed immediately when someone approached slowly.   
“You know, someone as beautiful as you doesn't deserve such a sad expression.” the blonde was fit and obviously out on a run through the small park.   
“And what expression should I be wearing?” Hanzo’s voice was cutting and sharp instinctively pushing away the blonde male.  
The blonde smirked and held the gaze. “A angry one, or a smile. You look like the type that could kill with a smile. Let me take you out to dinner and I’ll show you.” as Hanzo considered the man babbled on. “You’ll either laugh or throw something at me. Maybe both, but it will be a trip.”  
Hanzo accepted.  
-  
Genji laughed. “Oh he is a bad flirt and he still got you into bed!”   
Hanzo glared but couldn't deter his brother’s laughter. “You’re going to stand out so much with your hair that bright of a shade.”  
The younger smirked, “that’s the point my dear older brother, so I don't have to be as bad of a flirt as your boyfriend” the pillow Hanzo threw at his brother didn't miss.  
-  
Time passed, father got better, at least a little. Genji’s hair made him look like a carrot half the time and gave away his position during training. Hanzo still helped him dye it. Genji started to notice his brother sneaking out and helped him more, in turn Hanzo helped his brother with his first girlfriend, told more stories of their mother, protected him from the elders more.   
It was perfect.  
Perfection, like young love doesn’t last.  
-  
It was a beautiful night, mid-spring with enough of a wind to push Hanzo’s hair into his face, almost enough to make him wish for a hair tie. The look on his boyfriend's face as he had played with his hair earlier that night had made it worth it.  
The blonde had insisted on walking him at least part of the way back for the past month, pushing the boundaries of how close he was supposed to get the castle. Hanzo could see the flecks of Brown in his amber eyes, and as they kissed near the Shimada crest he couldn't bring himself to care much.   
The silenced shot rang through the night like a bell. It rang in Hanzo's ears.  
There was a pause, between the fire of the gun and the gush of blood that chilled his heart. The fall of the petals in the air, the sharp intake of breath -the last breath-, the clear moment where the face falls, before going lifeless in front of him. The momentum carrying the blonde’s body into Hanzo sharply. Hanzo’s hands moved to stop the bleeding but the damage had been done, and he looked in the gate, to in front of the large temple where his father sat, a twisted look of disgust on his face.   
-  
Hanzo was still covered in blood when his father was done with his lecture, and he stumbled into Genji’s room.  
The moment of pause held no tears until the blood was being washed off, and the story spilled out of Hanzo.   
They went to bed curled up like children, and when Hanzo worked himself out of his zombie state a few months later Genji had a plan.  
-  
“Nothing is worth this, no family would do this to you. This isn’t worth it, but if auntie got a hold of what father has built, she’ll tear the world apart. So we destroy it.” he said simply, as if in the time He had grown older than Hanzo. “Now the easiest way to do this is to leak to the authorities, but all the one’s I can access are in our pockets.”  
“Overwatch.” Hanzo voice surprised himself. “Multinational, protecting the peace, without our hands funding them. The elders have been funding the omnic extremist to guard our trade routes across the desert. That should be enough to grab their attention.”   
Genji smiled and nodded. “You’ll have to get close to gain the information, suck up to father and the elders, follow their bidding, but we’ll take them down.” Hanzo nodded and felt his face harden.  
“It has to be done.”  
-


	2. Genji You Little Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo brushed his hair to the side, stretching out and running his hand over the sections of bite marks over his shoulders. He’d have to take extra care to hide them from the elders. But as he glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping man in the hotel bed he felt his heart clench. He’d found what he needed.

Genji was the first to notice the problem. “Anija, how are we going to get this information to Overwatch?”  
Hanzo paused in the sorting of papers and taking pictures for digital copies. “We’ll have to get in contact somehow…”  
“if this was a movie one of us would have slept with a secret agent, and then it would be easy for us to figure out and just give them the information.”  
Hanzo scoffed. “Then you had better be sleeping with more people.”  
The look of slightly laughing shock spread across Genji’s face. “Or you could get back on the dick. It’s been two years, and who knows, you might trip and fall into the arms of an international spy.”  
“As if it would be that simple.”  
-  
Hanzo rests his head in his hands a month later, his back covered in scratches and pleasantly sore. “Turns out he wasn't a spy” his brother laughed at him.  
-  
Meetings were the worst, the elders looked down their noses at Hanzo and his father never stopped them. The worst had to be the meetings where they met with subcontractors. He was there to ensure things ran smoothly, meaning he stood to the side while his brother stood farther back, presenting a United front with his father.  
The group they were hiring was for a short in town job. A few men who could be disavowed if needed. But as Hanzo looked over the group his eyes caught on a hat. A cowboy hat, settled on a young head full of hair and a small bunch of facial hair growing in. He couldn't be much older or younger than Hanzo. a growth of arousal spread through Hanzo’s chest as their eyes met.  
-  
“Name’s McCree” the young mercenary had approached Hanzo as soon as he could slip away and Hanzo was alone.  
There was a small part of Hanzo that wondered if he screamed gay to every attractive American. Not that that was really a problem for his tastes.  
Hanzo raised a single eyebrow and bowed slightly. “It's nice to meet you McCree-san.”  
“No need to be all formal darlin. I just wanted to greet the prettiest guy here.”  
Hanzo felt his heart twitch, damn Genji for pointing out his weakness for bad flirting.  
“I am positive you can do better than that if you want to see me again.”  
McCree’s face flashes something like surprise before the cocky grin is back. “How about I try again somewhere more private. I’m stayin’ just a few streets down the way.”  
Hanzo blushed. “I don’t drink swill so there better be something better waiting for me.”  
“I’m sure there will be hon”  
-  
Hanzo sat up after a round of mindblowing sex. His body sore in the best way and his mind fuzzy with sleep. He brushed his hair to the side, stretching out and running his hand over the sections of bite marks over his shoulders. He’d have to take extra care to hide them from the elders. But as he glanced over his shoulder at the sleeping man in the hotel bed he felt his heart clench. He’d found what he needed.  
In the second drawer down. Where he’d found the lube there was a box, tucked away in a small back corner. The box was small enough and normally would be ignored but Hanzo wasn’t a pampered idiot, and when he cracked open the box he saw the Overwatch issue communicator. He glanced over at the sleeping man before putting the box back and picking up his pants. Mcree, probably wasn’t his actual name, but that didn’t matter, was their ticket out. The only thought that ran through his head after that was ‘Genji was right, that little shit.’  
-  
It would have been a good night if he had slipped into his window and went to bed, but instead he slid into his room and stopped dead. He knew that scent anywhere, his father’s cologne was spicy in a pepper way, too sharp for anyone to truly enjoy. It was dark in the room and his father sat next to the door.  
“I thought you were past this Hanzo. I expect it from your little brother at this point, sneaking out and pressing his body against anyone who catches his fancy, but I thought you knew the consequences better.” Hanzo flinched as the remembered the consequences, a flash of bloodstained hands, his resolve firmed under his father’s glare in the dark, He would ruin everything, but first he had to lie.  
“I’m sorry father, It was a release so I could better focus on the task in front of me. I wanted to get him out of my system.” He spoke coldly and calculated, the same way he had been raised. “I will not be seeing him again.” his father raised a eyebrow, looking over his son with a critical eye.  
“You are my heir. I expect the best from you on every front, stop this sneaking out and sleeping around. It’s making it hard to find a wife for you when you perpetuate the rumors of your sexuality like this.” He sighed and stood up. “I do love you son, and I will do anything to ensure your safety and security.”  
Hanzo’s heart skipped a beat, worried about what that implied for his future.  
-  
Genji couldn’t stop laughing. “You actually found a spy by sleeping with him! Oh my god Anija! Was he any good?”  
Hanzo’s face was bright red and he rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean to. It just happened.”  
“He was! Will you exchange sensitive information next to your dick pics?” Hanzo reached out to hit his younger brother, missing as Genji rolled to the side. His laughter subsided as he took in his brother’s face.  
“I can’t see him again, father’s keeping a closer eye on me now. Genji, you’ll have to do it.”  
“I’m not going to sleep with him. The fact that you slept with him is enough to turn me off of Americans forever.”  
Hanzo rolled his eyes. “I’m not asking you to sleep with him. I’m asking you to be the contact. No one will question when you sneak out, and no one will think twice for when you make the drops.” His sigh is soft. “I can get the information, but I can’t get it out, that’s your job now. You know what he looks like and where he is.”  
Genji’s hand rested on his brother’s shoulder. “So it’s give him the flash drive every few weeks.” Hanzo nodded. Smiling slightly as his brother pulled the drive out of a drawer. “Sounds easy enough.”  
-  
How his older brother could stand the hotel that he walked into today was beyond the eyes of Genji. There was a shifty man in the bar and despite the yellows and warm colors on the walls it gave off a cold atmosphere. At least when he slept with people he always took them to a respectable love hotel.  
That wasn’t the point, he guessed and slid his way into the elevator, making sure he wasn’t followed with a glance behind him, brushing his bright hair out of his eyes. Hanzo had been sure that no one had followed him outside of the compound, Genji wasn’t as naive as to think that no one would be keeping an eye on his bright hair and small body. He kept his eyes out and his hands in the pocket of his oversized sweater. A small smile behind his mask as the elevator closed and he started stared at the numbers.  
3-4-5  
The elevator stopped and opened on a well dressed cowboy, cleaning something out from under his nail with a sigh. Genji smiled and moved to the side. “Come into my office McCree-san” McCree looked at him suspiciously but stepped into the elevator, his hand resting on his hip carefully. “Now you know who I am right?”  
“You’re that kid from the meeting yesterday.” he spoke confidently like he wasn’t being quizzed. Genji stopped the elevator.  
Genji laughed. “I mean you’re not wrong, I am Shimada Genji.” he held out his hand and McCree didn’t take it, looking at him suspiciously. Genji sighed and let his hand drop. “And here I thought we could be friends, but if you must know I’m bad at all this business. It’s all official and posturing, my brother makes it look like a flirting dance with his glances but I’m not good at that shit.” he reached into his pocked and pulled out the flash drive, flipping it in his fingers. McCree’s eyes squinted.  
“Well as business has already been settled…” McCree spoke hesitantly.  
Genji interrupted with a loud sigh. “I know you’re not just a mercenary. This Flash drive has enough to put my family's operation over the desert in shambles, and it’s just the start of what I’m willing to give you.” he flipped the drive into McCree’s hands. “But this stays between us.” he started the elevator up and pressed the button to the bottom floor.  
McCree looked at the drive in his hands. “What is the cost of this?”  
“Don’t mention my brother, at all. The family isn’t kind when he messes up.” Genji spoke softly and the numbers counted down slowly. “If he ends up hurt in all this, I will make sure you don’t breathe another word to your bosses.”  
McCree paused and nodded slowly.  
“Included is a way to contact me that they won’t track, for whenever I get more I’ll pass it on to you.” He adjusted his mask. “Make a habit of it McCree-san, I’ll be waiting.”  
Genji likes the look of shock on the man’s face as he leaves the elevator. It’s not everyday he gets to be this important.  
-  
It takes the American almost a week to message Genji on the secure line. Hazo is an uncontrollable mess for this week, worrying about getting found out, and worrying about having made the wrong call. When McCree finally messages Genji the green haired boy shows his brother.  
“See? You’re fine, keep it up and soon we’ll be perfectly fine.” Hanzo relaxed and nodded, going back to the information he had dug out of the hands of the elders, plans for a new deal with the Viskar, Illegal activities for technology, it sickens both of the boys but there wasn’t much either of them could do. “You’ll get your chance back in his pants soon enough.” Hanzo’s blush was perfect.  
Genji turned away from the information on the table, looking towards his phone.  
‘So your information turned out to be legitimate. Blackwatch appreciates how much easier you made our job. Yadah yadah. What I’m interested in is why the son of a crime syndicate is just giving the information to us. What’s your game Shimada?’  
‘McCree-san, of course my information is legitimate, what do you take me for the son of a crime syndicate? I’m not some spring chick’  
‘You’re 17 there’s no way you’re doing this to be a good person.’  
‘I’ve seen some shit McCree-san, I want the people who caused it to be torn apart. So when are we going to meet again? I’ve got a bit more, not anything finalized but that’s the trouble with being so high up.’  
‘We can only deal with the concrete, so after something is decided give us all the information you have. But if you want to cement our alibis and stories we could meet up again.’  
‘I won’t bring my brother, I know he’s beautiful but he’s off limits’  
‘Damn, I’ve been found out. He’s a beauty isn’t he.’  
‘We’re not talking about this, it’s my brother McCree-san’  
‘Fine, fine darlin’ let's talk about that information you gave us.’  
-  
Three weeks later Genji sat at a park, puzzling over a game of go, the american across from him with a smirk. “Just admit defeat hon, It’s better to be gracious in defeat than to drive your loss into the ground.”  
Genji stuck out his tongue at the man, “A Shimada never admits defeat. Not in battle or in games.” he made his move and settled back in his chair.  
“Speaking of battle, you refer to it often, don’t you have the easy job? Give the orders, don’t dirty your hands?” McCree’s move came quickly and precisely, causing Genji to pause.  
“What good is a leader that can’t beat their subordinates? If I couldn’t control myself and beat any challenger what is the point of telling people to do it for me?” he bit his lip. “Besides I’m the second son, My brother gives all the important orders, and I will one day follow his every order.” hie eyes glazed over the board, trying to decide on his move.  
“That sounds like a sort of hell, raised to follow your brother’s every order. If I hadn’t met him I think I would think he would be fat with his lifestyle.” Genji’s laugh was free and he shook his head.  
“He’s scarier than my father, because at least with my father he’s grown fat enough with power that you can see him coming. If my brother wanted something done he’d do it himself and there’d be nothing in the world that could stop him.” Genji paused in the bright sunlight. Placing his move down carefully. “We were both trained to be strong, after all it takes quite a soul to do what we do.”  
McCree paused and raised a eyebrow. “Of course. I win” he put down the final piece decisively and Genji cursed.  
-  
It was a strange friendship that grew between Genji and McCree, information and insults, traded over text and games and cups of tea. It went on for weeks.  
-  
The day that Genji’s father died was a quiet affair. The house was still for Genji, his brother couldn’t be found, and the staff avoided the younger Shimada. It wasn’t until later that day when Genji found Hanzo crying softly over a photo of their parents that it truly hit him, nothing was going to be the same after this.  
-  
“Anija…”Genji’s sigh was audible through the door “ Anija I know you can hear me! At least let me help you work if you won’t come spar with me.”  
Hanzo sighed, his hair falling forward when his head tilted to cover his eyes. An extra layer of protection that wouldn't protect him from his younger brother. Hanzo’s hand went to the pen again and considered throwing it at his younger brother before he pulled himself upright and piled his hair up into his head. It was getting long, he'd have to cut it again soon.  
“I know you’re in there, I have your lunch”  
Hanzo adjusted the papers on the table. Papers showed a collection of numbers and graphs, sales, and more than a few maps with roughly drawn lines of trafficking paths, gang lines, ties to the crimes. His jobs had grown with the passing of his father, so many decisions and things that he needed to be done in transition.  
The most concerning was the papers that Hanzo shoved to the side the first, glaring accusations, a few too many hits on his radar, coordinated, and precise. Blackwatch might have been a ghost to the normal population, but they weren't a secret to anyone with enough gumption. After the near eradication of the deadlock gang, the word spread quickly and made itself clear. If you stood in the way of Overwatch you faced Blackwatch. And the things the Shimada Clan dealt in were enough to attract that attention, it was attention he had attracted himself, asked for and encouraged, the paper’s glared at him like his aunt’s knowing glances.  
The doors smooth snick almost slipped his notice. “I didn't give you permission to enter, little brother”  
Genji didn't even pause at the doorway as he barreled in and set a bowl of Ramen on the table, brushing aside some work. “I could have sworn you did….” Genji’s teasing voice trailed off as he looked at Hanzo. “You look like mother… with your hair like that, she would have proud of you, even if the Elders aren't.”  
Hanzo paused before giving a small smile to his brother. “Thank you Genji.” He dug into his ramen.  
“How are you doing dear brother? I know the Funeral wasn't good but-”  
“It would have been better if you’d been there.” Hanzo cut Genji’s reply off with a stern look. “I know your friends were having something happen that day, but it was our father's funeral.”  
Genji picked up a sheet of paper not looking ashamed at all. “It was McCree’s last day in the country, we were setting up the new contact.” The pause became loaded as they ate. “I know you wanted to see him again…” Genji waited for Hanzo to rise to the bait, his brother flushed at the insinuation.  
“I-” Hanzo cut himself off. “I admit I wanted to see him again, It was… a foolish thought that I could see him again with how busy everything has gotten.” Hanzo seemed to shrink slightly, looking into his bowl.  
“I didn't want to see his ashes spread among the last of his work. This all belongs to us now.” Genji admitted softly looking over the work, so much that could be done with this.  
Long hair brushed over Hanzo’s shoulder, falling from the top of his head. “If we can keep it whole” Genji’s laugh rang out over the table  
“Isn't that the point Anija? We’re going to ruin it.” Genji didn’t miss Hanzo’s flinch.  
-  
Genji’s time with his brother shortened. His texts with McCree grew longer. He didn’t like the new agent, they were slimy and didn’t play Genji’s games as nice. It was business but it was lonely. His brother spending more and more time with the elders and less and less time with Genji. Now he just got flash drives, information that showed how much Hanzo wanted to continue with the plan. But there was less and less on the drives, it made his new contact with blackwatch angry. But it worried Genji most of all.  
McCree assured him that it would blow over, that Reyes, McCree’s commander, was being demanding of the new guy and that it didn’t have anything to do with the information that Genji was getting them.  
Genji prayed that it would be simple enough as a test of time.  
-  
It was a sunny day that Genji recognized the end. He knew because he was enjoying the bright press of the sun when the scuff of feet had him turning over his shoulder. He saw his brother talking to Michio. The two locked in some verbal battle of whispers that had Hanzo’s face twisting in disgust. Though this was the normal look for someone conversing with Michio in Genji’s opinion.  
Michito motioned to him and for the first time in years he saw his brother blanch, the muttering was too far out of his reach but the look in his brother’s eyes scared him.  
“Anija!” he called out to his brother, walking forward easily, trying to break the tension but Michio’s smirk had him pause in the middle of the room. From around the corner walked his aunt and the rest of the elders who glared down at Genji in the middle of the room.  
“TRAITOR!”  
The voice caught him off guard, Hanzo rarely yelled at him, or yelled in general. The only time he truly yelled was when he called forth his dragon's. And as Hanzo drew his sword and stepped farther into the room, under the eye of the elders Genji recognized that Hanzo’s disposition had changed, That they were no longer going to take down the organization together. Genji had become disposable. He drew his own blade, a thought passing through his mind, that he could call Hanzo out. He could ruin them both, but before he could release his voice Hanzo was on him, and his breath was being forced out with the power of his strike.

Hanzo had always been the stronger of the two, older, more powerful. In that moment it showed, the strength he put behind every strike pushed Genji back against the wall. The blade bit him hard, passing through his skin like butter with the power of the strike. The blood spattered the walls. Genji couldn’t really recognize it as his own as the world faded dark around him.  
-  
Flashes of faces and actions pass through his mind, the cold laugh of Michio, Some more of Hanzo’s voice, much softer this time than the yell he came out with earlier, something hitting his face.  
Genji writes them off as delusions of blood loss.  
-  
The first thought is that he must have found a way into heaven. Standing over him is a beautiful woman, hair so pale it’s almost as white as the ceiling above her. Wait, heaven didn’t have a ceiling. He struggled to sit up, his body unresponsive. The angel’s eyes grew wide and she pressed him back into the bed. “Don’t try to move, you’re in bad shape…” Genji blinked a few times and tried to speak.  
“What…”  
“You’re in the Overwatch Headquarters in Sweden…” the angel started taking notes on her clipboard. “I am Doctor Ziegler, I’ve been keeping you alive.” she smiled slightly and took more notes. “Someone will be in soon to debrief you. Try to take it slow, You’ve lost…” Her voice slowed as she looked Genji over. “Some limbs. Please be careful.”  
Genji finally looked down at his body, or what was left of it. His left leg was more whole, the tattoo on it cut off jaggedly, but his right leg was in tatters, and his right arm wasn’t in better shape. There was strange contraptions attached to him, keeping his body stable he assumed, but looking at the bandages he felt the bite of the blade. The more he looked the more lost he felt, His brother did all this damage, his brother had tried to kill him.  
A voice broke through his examination. “Doctor, If you would please clear the room, we have to debrief the patient.”  
Doctor Ziegler nodded and carried her clipboard out. “I’ll be back soon to check on you.” she tried to seem reassuring, but it came off worried.  
Genji got a good look at the man in front of him, darker skin, black body armor, a beanie placed on his head, he looked serious and demanding. He reminded Genji of his father, in both the best way and the worst way. “I am Gabriel Reyes, I assume you know of me.” The name flashed recognition in Genji’s mind, This was McCree’s commander. The young boy nodded and Gabe smirked. “Good then I’m going to go over what happened, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, and then we’ll talk about your options from here on out.”  
Genji considered for a moment. “I don’t remember much… I think I passed out for most of it.”  
“Our other sources in the Shimada Clan say that you’re brother confronted you for leaking information to us, We had to pull them out, none wanted to be the next to face your brother’s wrath. The word is that he killed you, and dropped your body on the doorstep of Overwatch to send a message to us.”  
Genji felt his throat constrict, his brother had walked his brother through the city, on children’s day, just to send a message. That sounded more like his father, harsh and punishing. “That…” he wanted to deny it, but after their father’s death, something had changed in Hanzo. He wasn’t sure if His Brother was capable of this. “That is probably true.” he closed his eyes, his mind going back to Hanzo years ago, bloody and shaking, holding firm until he’d gotten his story out. Cleaning his boyfriend’s blood off his hands. He tried to see the same person in the person who charged at him, sword drawn, but his mind failed.  
“Son, I’ve heard things about you from Jessie, He’s made it abundantly clear that the moment we could, we were to offer you a position in Blackwatch.” Gabe looked calm. “We can’t accept you like you are now though, Blackwatch is a demanding job and a physical one at that.” He pulled a packet off the table. “If you decide to join we’d fix you up, but you’d work for us.”  
Genji looked at the packet in Gabe’s hands. “Will I get to take down my family’s work?” He asked, his voice not shaking at all.  
“Yes”  
“Then I accept, whatever it takes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major thanks to my Beta Reader CodaFangirl  
> http://coda-fangirl.tumblr.com/  
> Go show her some love, she deserves all of it for what I put her through.


	3. Blackwatch Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though I doubt you’re alive anymore under that armor, not really

Genji couldn’t tell how many days he had been locked up in the infirmary. Days of surgery and work, slow slices and splitting of his skin. Filling his body with things that made him ache.  
He couldn’t tell you how many people came to visit or how many moons passed in the haze of robotics and surgery.  
He could tell you about Soba. He never really communicated with his dragon to do more than train. It wasn’t something he had even considered.He knew that his brother had trouble keeping his two dragon’s contained on a bad day it left his fingers bloody. Genji never had that, his Tattoo lay on his leg, partly ripped apart in the attack from his brother, Partly torn up from the operations on his body. For the first time he saw his dragon in his mind and it reflected his body, broken and fading. His tattoo hurt for the first time in his life. Ached under the implants they attached. It was these moments that he wished his brother had actually killed him.  
-  
Angela comes to visit him often, between the surgeries she talks in gentle tones of how his body is improving, and though she doesn’t know the exacts, keeps mentioning talking to a monkey, she’s good company.  
-  
The first visitor aside for The Doctor and the technicians is McCree. He comes and sits with him, helps him with his exercises, smiling and telling stories.  
“... So asshole number one has the console on lockdown, but me being my sexy self just saunter right up to-”  
“The doctor has cleared me to leave the infirmary, I’m going to start training again.” Genji interrupted, not really wanting to listen to Jessie talk on about his missions. Genji is almost sure that he’s lying and making things up, his face was too animated.  
Jessie’s smile faltered. “Are you sure you want to do this? I know a thing or two about revenge, it doesn’t make things easier.”  
“You’re only two years older than me McCree, I don’t need revenge, I need answers.” He met Jessie’s eyes and glared back. “I can’t spend another day in this bed.” he motioned around. “None of this is helping me, You suggested I join Blackwatch”  
“I suggested you join when you were whole, and I suggested we take you and your brother-”  
“MY BROTHER MADE HIS CHOICE” Genji broke the stare, looking at his now mismatched hands. “He made his choice and now I’ve made mine. If he wants it that badly, He can have it. But I’m going to ruin it, forever.”  
McCree paused at the side of the bed before nodding slowly. “Then I’ll see you in the field Genji.” he got up and put his hat on. “I hope to play Go with you again. You still have to beat me.”  
Genji felt worse after McCree had left the room than he had for each surgery.  
-  
Genji took to training like a fish to water. In the way he had for his entire life. They had a blade forged for him, it wasn’t as balanced as his sword from home, but he still used it. He tore through the training sequences, ripped through simulations, and eventually trained with other Overwatch members.  
McCree didn’t show up. When he asked around he got a small grunt from one of his finer tuning technicians, A short man by the name of Torbjorn. “He’s out on some mission with Gabe. You won’t get a straight answer around here.” He went back to tuning Genji’s foot to better climb walls.  
Genji worked hard, but there was a sharp learning curve to his new body. Each step had a different spring, a different way to how his shuriken flew out of his hand, how fast and strong his blade sliced through the air, how much he could move. Each set compounded on the next, and it took nearly three months of hard work before he was allowed out of the watchful eye of the technicians and doctors. It was then that he was placed on his first mission, a simple shipment of guns arriving into the docks of Japan. As the shipment was being run by the Shimada's he was eager to show his worth, and as he set foot on the docks he knew something was wrong.  
“There’s too few…” he spoke softly before latching onto a large crate and climbing up for a better vantage point. He tapped on his communicator to the rest of his team who were cautiously setting up a flank on the load of weapons. “Watch out for snipers, There’s too few people for this kind of run.”  
Genji was right, and his knowledge paid off in large dividends, leading to the capture and correction of the weapons.  
Genji felt a low simmer of rage, His brother wasn’t even trying to keep his work under wraps anymore.  
-  
Cadet Oxton was an interesting girl. She bounced up to Genji in the sparring ring. “Haven’t seen you around much love”  
Genji paused and looked her up and down. “Nor I you. Shimada Genji.” He held out his hand and Lena took it.  
“Lena Oxton, Code name Tracer.” She bounced on her heels. “You look like one of the only ones here who can put me through my paces.” She tapped the blackwatch logo on the middle of his chest. “We’re both a little mixed up” her hands came to the glowing device on her chest. “So maybe we could spar?”  
He looked at her slightly shy smile, a memory surfaced in his mind. ‘Anjia! Sensei took the day off!’ he blinked the memory of his brother’s small smile out of his eyes.  
“If you think you can keep up” he teased good naturedly.  
-  
Training with Lena became regular. She wasn’t really good with guns, and her device would malfunction and she would jump through the room unpredictably. But it was refreshing to say the least, she made him laugh, just a little.  
-  
The missions drag, Get this, protect this, raid here. The work is an endless slog from this end. Some part of him wishes he could just go into his old home and take what he wanted. It would never work, even with his extra abilities he would never be able to get out, not with how his brother would have run the house.  
He trained harder.  
-  
McCree shows up a month later, Genji is slicing through training dummies as they wander in aimless circles. “You wanna go out? Get some grub?” Genji paused in his strikes before he turns to McCree. “I’ve got a hour and a half before I’m headed into deep cover.”  
Genji holds his breath and nods slightly. “Of course. It’s not time enough for a game of Go but at least we can have tea.”  
McCree laughs. “I haven’t had tea I like since Hanamura. So let’s give it a try.”  
-  
“I am starting to think there is no such thing as good tea outside of Hanamura.” McCree pushed aside his cup.  
Genji took a sip. “I can’t even taste it anymore. I can smell it’s not right, but I can’t taste it anymore.” He set the mug down carefully. “It’s strange.”  
McCree sighed and shook his head. “There is an upside beyond combat right?”  
“You’re right, I can’t really feel emotions too well anymore. I guess becoming a machine has to have some upside.”  
McCree’s face twisted. “You know you aren’t-”  
“Stop, I am not human anymore, don’t try to convince me otherwise.” Genji growled out. And put back on his faceplate.  
McCree flinched. “Genji…”  
“Save it McCree”  
-  
“Are you sure you’re alright Genji?” Angela’s voice is soft through the entire time she reads his diagnostics. “This doesn’t look good you know, your body shows too much strain. You should take a break.”  
Genji looks up from his sword, cleaning it after a harder mission. “I can’t take a break, not where there’s so much left to do.”  
The blonde set aside her clipboard. “At least take some other jobs, see the world a bit, there’s more than Hanumara.”  
Genji’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “I doubt there will be anymore then Hanumura for me.”  
-  
Angela got her wish and Genji spent quite a time in Korea, fighting the Omnic with the Korean forces. He wore specially fitted armor, bright chrome finish that had felt restrictive the first time he put it on. “It’s so bright and far too closely fitting.”  
Angela had just shook her head. “It’s been months and you barely wear clothes, at least let us protect you more before your first big Omnic fight.”  
“Why do I need all of this anyway? It’s easier and cheaper to be without this.” Genji huffed and crossed his arms.  
“Because there will be cameras Genji, people taking pictures and putting your body up with the heroes, you don’t want those images to be of your wiring and stealth suit. Instead it’ll be of this.” Angela explained calmly. Her small hands flipped a few switched and the valves on the side of his body lit up bright orange. “You’re a beacon of hope for Overwatch.” He voice was dry and her version of sarcasm nearly caught the cyborg off guard.  
“I am not a beacon for Overwatch..” he said slowly.  
And Angela smirked and brought him to a full body mirror before she went back and flipped another switch. The lights flipped from Overwatch Orange, to electric green. It glowed from his visor and every valve. “I can’t change the color of the armor at such short notice, but I can at least make you more comfortable in it.”  
Genji paused and pressed his fingers into the color gently. Causing signals to flip through his system in a skittering almost pain. “How… How did you know I liked this shade of green?” he worked to keep his voice from cracking with emotion.  
Angela paused. “When you were brought here Your hair was that color. It’s what I remember the most, It’s a shame they had to shave it all off and let it grow back dark. I figured if you dyed your hair that color You’d like to have whatever customized colors be that…” She looked over his blank faceplate. “I can change it-”  
“Don’t. I like it.” Genji stared at himself in the mirror, letting the colors fill his eyes. He wasn’t a human anymore, and this proved it more than anything. But the color brought tears to his eyes, a symptom he used to have with the bleach. “Thank you Angela”  
-  
The fight in Korea goes sideways and despite the work of Genji and the Overwatch Team, they only manage to push the Omnic back into the sea. Korea started its own unit and sent Overwatch home.  
-  
Genji is training with Lena when McCree returns from his deep cover mission. Genji pauses in the spar session and Lena knocks a good elbow into his face before she follows his gaze and sees the visitor.  
“Sorry Love! I didn’t hurt you did I?” She blinked to a wet cloth and blinked back, looking for the mark she should have left on his skin. Genji shook his head and took the cloth, polishing the metal of his visor.  
“You probably hurt yourself more than me with that one.” She giggled and glanced at McCree who’s watching the two of them closely. Genji sighed. “McCree-san, stop lurking like a creep and introduce yourself.”  
McCree smirked and came up next to Genji slinging an arm around his shoulders like the last time they had talked hadn’t resulted in an argument. “Oh I’ve got a -san again? I thought we were beyond that nonsense. I’m Jessie, and who might you be Darlin’.”  
Genji sighed, “Don’t give her the wrong idea, He know who you are, he knows who everyone is.” The cowboy groaned. “Now I seem like a dick-”  
“You are a dick, don’t fool yourself”  
Lena burst out laughing. “Oh my! I was worried for a moment that Genji was just a fighting machine!” She gently pushed on Genji’s chest. “But you have sass inside there too!”  
Genji stiffened up for a moment but McCree recovered first.  
“Of course, don’t let him convince you otherwise. He’s snark wrapped up with a blade in a set of glowin armor.”  
Genji squinted at McCree. “Don’t ruin all my friendships with your horrible accent and analogies.” For the moment, Pressed against a teasing McCree, having a game of quick comebacks, Lena’s Laughter in the background, he almost felt normal. Genji almost felt at home.  
-  
Genji was preparing for another mission when he looked down at the map for the drop. It had been almost a year in active Overwatch, it didn’t feel like it. He hadn’t gotten too far in dismantling his brother’s empire. He hadn’t done much that didn’t directly count towards his goal. He traced the planned route, marked the sniper’s nest spots with the tip of his fingers. His eyes skidded across the map, the route was three streets away from the castle. Three streets and a high wall. It was the closest his missions had ever taken him to his old home. To his brother.  
Staring at that map he made a decision.  
-  
The mission started out fine. He was working with his normal team, Lena still tuning her accelerator, McCree out with Gabe, Angela in Sweden, his little family far away from the town of Hanamura. He held himself still under his mask, letting his anger flow through him, focus and steel himself like he had never let himself feel before. He bathed in it, and as the plane set down his plan was in motion.  
A voice in his head scathed at him. Sounding like his brother in the most distracting way. ‘You’re walking into a trap, It’s one thing to pass through a few streets away, it’s another entirely to walk into a den and expect to slay the beast on your own. This isn’t one of your movies.’ He shook the voice from his mind and climbed a building to give his team better cover.  
He willed his com off, hearing the soft whir of his body instead of the hushed commands of the strike leader. And started jumping across the rooftops. It was fall, the leaves changing color, the lights dimmed early, and as he looked over the guards in the courtyard of his childhood home he saw the yard in spring, the guards shuffling their patterns but not enough to stop Genji from sneaking out. He blinked the bright vision from his mind, choosing a darker thought to occupy his mind. He remembered the bloodstain on the street outside of the gate he was standing on. He remembered his brother’s broken face, He remembered the moment he decided this family was never going to hurt Hanzo again. Genji remembered the sound of his brother's voice, the bite of his blade, as they made different choices. With a settled mind he slipped into the compound.  
Hanzo must have been slipping, the guards rotations were slow and lazy. It was simple for Genji to slip in on the roof. The sight in front of him filled his mouth with bile. The bloodstained banner stood on the walls, his brother’s swords in front of it. A caring memorial for a brother murdered in cold blood to send a message. The room was empty at this time of night. It was after dinner and so no one was expected to be out and about, but as Genji pressed into the shadows of the room there was a scuff of footsteps, to loud to be his brother.  
Michio slowly made his way towards the balcony, steady steps unfocused as he looked at a set of papers in his hands. He looked stressed, his hair growing gray at his temples, his mouth wearing more frown lines. Genji feels a sick sense of satisfaction as he imagines that a few of them were caused by his actions. As Michio turns his back to Genji there’s a jolt of his twisted smirk, his dark laughter, they ring through Genji. He slides forward, silent and draws his blade, stepping behind the older man and placing the blade on his throat.  
Michio stops. “You aren’t the first man to put a blade to my throat and you won’t be the last, Drop it and at least your death will be swift.”  
There’s a dark chuckle that leave’s Genji’s throat. “How do you think you will kill a dead man?” he whispers in the darkness. “I’m not here for your life I’m looking for my brother.”  
There’s a pause as Michio pulls the pieces together. “Genji? I thought you were dead, but if you’re looking for your brother you just missed him. He visited on the anniversary of your death.”  
“He’s not here?” The processors whine as he tries to keep his voice even and his hand steady.  
“He left after he got the letter..” Michio laughed, dark and simple. “I guess he thought Overwatch could save you, keep you alive.” His hands shot up and in a twisting moment of shock Genji lost his grip on the man, who turned sharply and looked him over. “Though I doubt you’re alive anymore under that armor, not really.” he reached to his side and drew a blade of his own. “But just to be sure, I’ll finish the job.”


	4. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pause here, breathless and hopeful, as Hanzo’s hand settles on his sword.   
> ‘Forgive me Genji, but we save you first’

The day Hazo’s Father died was a quiet day. Hanzo had been working with the elders when a servant said that his father was asking for him. Hanzo went to find his father’s bedside empty.   
“Father?”  
The man in the bed was thinner, his skin sagged in a sickening way, frail and smelling of his sharp cologne. “Hanzo… you look so much like your mother with your hair that long.” he spoke wistfully, not with the harsh tone he’d come to expect from the older man. “She never wanted this life for you, said that you would never be happy chained.” He was racked by a coughing fit. Hanzo stood awkwardly, not able to feel sorry for the man who wouldn’t listen to his own wife when she was right.   
“But here you are, my perfect son.” he reached out and grabbed a photo on his bedside, holding it up to his eldest son. “She was the light of my life and you hold my dreams and her face. I don’t think I could think of a more perfect combination.” he started coughing again. “Your brother, kill him while he still has a chance, Your aunt is power hungry and will eat him alive to get to you. You can’t have a weakness so obvious.” Hanzo recoiled.   
“Father, do you hear yourself?” he looked down at the picture of his parents, “You’re asking me to kill him, for my own gain. Do you even listen to the shit you spew out of your mouth? Is it a surprise that my mother’s dead with your view on love.” Hanzo was ranting, his voice climbing in volume, he couldn’t even hear his father’s breathing over his own voice. “I can’t just kill him! He’s my brother! He’s the only shred of happiness in this cage you’ve built for me. We’re going to ruin your work father, we’re going to tear it apart and be ourselves, for once in my life I will be happy.” he took a deep breath and looked at his father, expecting to see disgust or anger, but all he saw was the slack jaw of a dead body. Hanzo’s hands came up and searched for his father’s pulse, for a moment frantic, unable to process that he was dead, that he was so close to being free. The pulse didn’t came back and where a sense of victory should have filled him there was only emptiness. He looked down at the picture in his hand, portraying a happier time for his father, and his mother. And all he could do was hold back the tears.   
It took two hours for Genji to find him, crying over a man he didn’t love, a boy he did love, and a woman who loved him more than he could imagine but didn’t have enough time to show him. Genji didn’t understand as they drank that night, and Hanzo could feel the crippling loneliness swallow him. Maybe he was just broken.  
-  
The Funeral was a private affair, coordinated by his aunt and her help. He put part of father’s ashes next to their mother, and scattered the rest over the lower gardens. Genji didn’t show up. Hanzo stood tall next to Michio as the ashes settled over the cliff.   
“Fitting that the flighty sparrow is away when another of your family leaves.” Michio spoke with a lilting voice.   
Hanzo’s voice is rough when he speaks, betraying more than he wants to the vulture who stands beside him. “He has other matters to attend to, I’m sure they are worthwhile ventures. Genji was never one to sit still when there’s things to be done.”  
“Is that what he’s calling that cowboy he hangs out with now? It’s a interesting name to call someone who warms your bed. A worthwhile venture, a thing to be done.”   
Hanzo turns sharply to the older male. “Don’t you dare insult-”  
“Oh oh oh! Touchy subject isn’t it? To be turned down for your younger brother? Must sting though, I don’t know why you went with him that night myself.” he winked, “Well, you have so many better options open to you, even more now that there’s no one in this town who would tell you no.”   
There’s a moment of silence that stretches between the two of them. Before Hanzo reached his arm out and gripped Michio’s shoulder, his dragons flowing through his fingertips, burning paths into the flesh under his hand.  
Michio screamed.   
Hanzo’s smirk is self satisfied and confident as he draws his hand away, leaving Michio smoking and whimpering. “Mind your tongue, There’s no one left to tell me no after all.”  
-  
Hanzo’s aunt wasn’t happy, Michio is her favorite after all, and so Hanzo takes his punishment and sits at a table so full of work he can barely see the next meal in front of him. He takes the pictures for Genji -for them- he writes until his hands shake.  
His aunt refers to the blackwatch problem as a rodent infestation. Hanzo is more careful with what he takes.  
In this mix of confusing and troubling times his one pleasure is torturing Michio. He wears normal clothes like the dragons didn’t eat through his shoulder, but he flinches with every gesture from Hanzo. The small pleasures come from asking Michio to give him things. At first it’s papers, then coffee, the small flinches never cease to be amusing. He now referred to Hanzo as Sir, if it only took a bit of pain to get the vulture to fall into line than he wished he had done it far earlier.  
It’s still a surprise to Hanzo when his aunt comments on it. “If you want my right hand man all you had to do was ask. He is competent and loyal, He is a good choice to serve at your side, unlike your brother.” The thought had never passed through his head, taking someone other than Genji as his second? It should never had gotten this far, fear grips his heart, wondering if he will ever be free of his fate.   
-  
It’s Hanzo’s fault in the end. He should have been more careful with his choices for the Flash Drives.  
Blackwatch intercedes in a negotiation with a new contact. It was hushed, a elder went in the place of Hanzo himself. And the raid resulted in not only the loss of a new contact but the direction of the mole. Only the one’s close to the elders had access to the meeting’s location.  
The elders had tea and Hanzo looked over each of them in turn. There was 7 of them now, each having earned their spot.  
“I demand to know who has leaked this information. The Blackwatch infestation has reached a new height” Hanzo spoke calmly from his place at the head of the table. “My father let this incursion stay uncontested, find who’s responsible, they will face my wrath” Hanzo lied easily, meeting each and every eye at the table. “If I find any deceit among this table, any underhanded ways of undermining me, I will strike it down before it can take root. I am not my father, and his inadequacy will not be my own.”  
The elders nodded and across the table his Aunt smiled at him, pride in her eyes. Hanzo wanted nothing more than to strike it from her face.  
-  
It’s children’s day, The city is alight with laughter and color.   
Hanzo works through his training and then takes a calming path through the building, Tonight he plans to spends with Genji.   
He nearly waves Michio off as he approaches, but the smile on his face chills him and soon Michio has matched the pace and is talking.  
“We’ve found the mole Sir.”  
Hanzo’s heart stopped for a moment. “Who is it?” his voice dropped to a dead whisper.  
Michio’s smirk seals the deal. “As we searched through the house, to eliminate any nosier staff members we found something interesting. A Flash Drive in your brother’s drawer.”  
Hanzo stopped short, his breath leaving him in a punch. “Where?” his voice sounded foreign in his mouth.  
“The little sparrow is singing, singing things he’s seen on your desk to blackwatch” Michio’s sing-song voice stills Hanzo, Michio doesn’t seem to notice, continuing to chatter. “I told your aunt that I would deal with him, after all you must be in such shock-”  
Time freezes for a moment, right there, Hanzo knows four things about the world.  
Michio will kill his brother without a second thought. It wasn’t a thought to be debated. Michio’s smile confirmed that and more. Genji would die a slow and painful death.  
It was his order that exposed them. If he’d let someone else take the reigns maybe they would have had a different ending.  
Right now He was safe, they didn’t suspect him, a hollow thought as the final thought passed through his mind.  
None of this would be worth it if Genji wasn’t alive to see them victorious.  
“No” Hanzo’s voice was steady even as his will wavered. “I will deal with him myself, He has gotten too unruly for his age, and I knew he was a liability. I will stand by my word.” Hanzo took a breath and reached for the strength that he had used for years, fueled on anger and pain he steadied his hands.  
Michio paused and looked at him before nodding slowly, motioning into the room they had ended up next to.  
“Anija!”  
The pause here, breathless and hopeful, as Hanzo’s hand settles on his sword. His eyes meet his brother across the room.  
‘Forgive me Genji, but we save you first’  
Hanzo took a steadying breath and hears Michio start forward a step, he would lose his chance if Michio acted first.  
“TRAITOR”  
The fall of Genji’s face is enough to break his heart a thousand times over. Hanzo draws his blade and charges in. catching his brother entirely off guard. The pause before his blade bites his brother’s skin there is nothing short of Rage on Genji’s face. The momentum splatters the wall with Genji’s blood. And his eyes roll back. Hopefully he won’t feel much else.  
Hanzo prays to whatever gods exist that Genji is truly out for the next few strokes of his blade, not life threatening but casting flecks of blood over the elders who had stepped out to watch the spectacle.   
Hanzo pulled back and flicked his brother’s blood off his blade. “This is what happens to a traitor of the Shimada name! Dragon or none!” he glared up at his aunt who looked back happily. She motioned him back.  
“Come Hanzo, let's clean your blade.” Her hands and steady and strong as she leads him back. Michio who moves towards Genji’s body.  
The image will haunt him forever, Michio’s smirk leaning over his brother in a pool of blood. Genji’s bright hair colored dark, his normally white clothes stained red. The image burned in his eyes.  
He recognized what it meant only moments later, just the turn of the hallway. When the two of them were out of sight. The distinct sound of Michio’s sing-song voice, his sneer, he wanted to ruin Genji, and He’d just got his chance.  
His aunt paused her movement and looked at him. Hanzo spoke to the small woman “I’ll go and handle my brother’s body. I am sorry for any distress my actions caused today.”   
Hanzo came back in the other room and the first thing he noticed was there was more blood on the floor, so much more blood on the floor. Michio held Genji’s sword, covered in blood.  
“Sorry Sir” He flipped his hair out of his face, getting a streak of blood down his face. “I really hated your brother.” he moved aside as Hanzo moved in coldly and picked up his brother’s now ruined body.   
“Clean up this blood.”   
“Yes Sir”  
-  
Hanzo takes to the roofs as soon as he can, unable to take Genji through the streets and ruin this day for more people than him. The blood continues to drip as he takes off at a run.   
Drip, Drip, da-Drip  
Hanzo doesn’t realize his tears had started to fall until he glanced down to his brother, seeing the clear liquid turn the blood on him a lighter shade for a moment. His footsteps falter when he sees where he has reached.   
The flag with the Overwatch Logo fluttered overhead.  
His heart clenched. He shouldn’t be here, this was Genji’s part of the work. He didn’t even know where to go.  
The first steps were slow down the roof, but then they came faster until Hanzo was sprinting into the building.   
“Help!!” He called out into the large hall, empty in the way that most government institutions were during holidays. He clenched on the body in his arms, willing him not to die.  
A blonde flash caught his eyes and he moved towards it. “Help!” the blonde stopped and turned making eye contact with Hanzo before looking at the body in his arms and nearly dropping the bag in her hands.   
She looked between the two quickly before setting off down the hall. “The infirmary is this way” She spoke with a heavy accent that Hanzo couldn’t place. But as she led them farther into the building he couldn’t bring himself to care where she was from.  
The doors slid open to the cleanest part of the facility, he placed his brother on the bed, and the blonde pushed him away pulling out a strange device and handing him a clipboard. “Fill that out and stay out of my way.” Hanzo took a step back as the blonde went to what was obviously her job. He looked to the paper, ‘Agent Name’ was the first line on the paper.  
Hanzo’s hands shook as he wrote his brother’s name in the slot, carefully filling out each line of the paperwork, putting his personal mailbox as the emergency contact. As he finished and set the board aside he glanced over at his sword and then at Genji.   
He couldn’t stay here, it wasn’t his world.   
So he left.  
-  
“What did you do with the body?”  
His Aunt’s voice grated on his nerves in the meeting that night. “I dumped it on the front steps of overwatch. I think the message is clear enough now.” he went back to his food as one of the other elders scoffed.  
“That was a stupid move, We could have done something with a false line into Blackwatch, throw them onto our enemies.”  
“He always met with someone” Hanzo spoke calmly over his food. “I assumed it was for sex, or friendship, but I would put money on someone he saw during that time as the agent he was passing the information off to. If someone was to replace him it would be a bigger message about how stupid we are.” he sighed softly and pushed his half eaten food aside. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight”  
-  
The letter came a few days later. Sealed with the Overwatch symbol. Hanzo’s hands shook as he read over the words a few times before they sunk in.  
“The Overwatch Agent Genji Shimada was submitted to our medical institute, we did everything to save him but he succumbed to his injuries. As is standard operating procedures his body was incinerated and his belongings are being put into storage.  
Our condolences,  
Overwatch Strike Commander Morrison.”  
Hanzo hit the floor, cut like a puppet, sitting in the dark. He closed his eyes and the images of Genji’s large smile, the way His face fell, his body lying in a pool of blood flashed behind his eyes.  
His tears fell hot and heavy, but there was no one else to blame but himself.   
Hanzo Shimada, in all his arrogance, had killed his brother.  
-


	5. In a Criminal Empire, Exile is the Lowest Form of Flattery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t care if you want a beard, or if you want your hair long. But if you continue to look homeless that’s what you will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both the positives and negatives of writing a story with two parts working in tandem is deciding what part to put next. Still sorry for the long delay Regular updates will start up again now! :)   
> Trigger warning as this chapter starts to dig into negative body image and depression.

Hanzo couldn’t take long to be inactive. His home wasn’t one to sit on their gains and would soon move on despite his grief. He took only what he could carry, a bag packed with a few changes of clothes and his bow. He would pick up anything else he needed later, removing his blades he set them to the side of his room. Leaving the letter on the table he left through the window. He might be wanted but at least he was out.  
-  
The first few months had been a blur, passing hotel rooms, the occasional knife in the dark, the sickly rolls of more than one boat under his feet, burning of alcohol down his throat. He payed his way in favors and odd jobs, each stranger than the last but it shouldn’t have been a shock when he found himself in America, it was a chance to disappear, among the bustle and press of people. He bought himself some street clothes and made his way through the crowds, not seeing much beyond the next place to stay.   
When someone grabbed his arm and pulled him into an ally he shouldn’t have been surprised but he still moved quickly and pinned the small man to the wall by his throat.  
The bright blonde head looked all too happy to be in his position. His voice was a little squeaky if coming from the resting pressure on his throat or the throws of puberty it was impossible to tell. “I used to work for you Mr. Shamada! You saved my life and I heard there was a price on your head.”  
Hanzo’s face twisted in and snarl. “Are you here to turn me over? Collect the blood money?” He felt his dragons twist at the thought of fresh blood to feast on.   
The boy’s eyes widened his hands coming up in surrender. “No I’m here to invite you to a place you can hide.”  
“And who might you be?” Hanzo snapped as he let him go.  
The boy smiled. “Hoffman, The gang calls me Tornado.” he motioned down the series of alleyways and started down them.  
-  
‘Tornado’ Hoffman was far too energetic for his own good, like a small puppy who had just found his first trick could get him a treat. He easily navigated the streets and chattered the entire time.  
“You were younger when we last met. It was my first big op, protection for some crime lord in the city. I bet you don’t even really remember me, I dyed my hair dark and kept my mouth shut but when the assassins came and you just calmly sliced the one fighting me right across the middle I thought he would fall apart.” the young boy took a deep breath. “Like in one of the samurai moves? They’re my favorite but don’t tell Deadeye when he comes back, he thinks my favorites are the westerns, and I don’t want to be in one of his headlocks if I can help it.”   
Hanzo moved to interrupt that thought before it could continue but the boy was off again.  
“But don’t worry AA will take you on when you show her how good you are. You’ll have to work for your keep but I doubt that will be too much of a problem.” Hoffman smiled big and pulled up to a door. “Home sweet practice range. Go get setup and AA will come and make sure you’re still as good as I say you are.” The blonde head moved to a beat only he heard and opened the door for Hanzo, revealing a soundproofed and well lit practice hall and shooting range.  
The few people who were in there reminded Hanzo vaguely of mercenary groups his father would use when going out of the country. It seemed he had been invited in and the people didn’t glance over as they worked, some with dummies some with each other. Hoffman slipped past Hanzo and up to a woman standing off to the side, dark skin in stark contrast with her bright white hair, she didn’t look old enough to have her hair be natural but it was still a stunning look as she pierced Hanzo with hard purpled eyes. Clearly pickling through the babble coming out of Hoffman by her side. After a few moments of staredown she stalked over like a predatory cat. Only coming close enough to get in easy talking distance. “Show me what you’ve got.”  
The woman didn’t look impressed at his hand to hand combat, and looked openly confused as he turned down more than a small dagger to fight with. But as he approached the shooting range and he pulled out his bow she openly laughed at him.   
“We aren’t your frilly assassin’s guild-” she spoke starting to motion to the array of guns to the side of the range but Hanzo drew an arrow and fired it at full speed with unerring accuracy at the targets, each one hitting the mark close to dead center, hitting three targets before turning and firing so close that it nicked her ear before she could so much as flinch. He relaxed his posture as the arrow stuck into the wall behind her.   
“I need more distance for it to truly be a challenge for me. I can kill a gunman before he can fire his first shot.” he reached down and took a swig of his alcohol. “Do you want me or shall I find someone else?”   
The woman touched her bleeding ear gently before nodding. “Abeni Abiodun, welcome to the company Mr. Shamada.”  
-  
A few days of testing with different teams later Abeni presses a razor into his hands and motioned to his face. “I don’t care if you want a beard, or if you want your hair long. But if you continue to look homeless that’s what you will be.”  
As he looks into the mirror and touches his face gently he realizes she’s right. The hair he used to keep shaved off had grown out in patches, untamed and without grooming it had made a mess on his face and his hair had decided that it wouldn’t be tamed with a brush for a few hours. Hanzo touched the hair on his face carefully, trying to decide if he should just shave it all off or if he should let it grow. As he stared in the mirror he caught a glimpse of something in his growing beard, a glint of something dark. As he looked his face shifted, growing lined with age and time, thin with sickness and a uncontrolled thirst for more. He saw in his beard and painted on his face his father.   
The razor clattered out of his hands as he fumbled for his face touching it and blinking quickly, the vision dissipated and he was left with his own face. As he reached down to pick up his razor his hand didn’t flinch as he slowly tidied up the hair. he pulled his long hair up and paused as he looked at his reflection. His brother’s voice whispering that he should shave his beard off again, ‘You’ll look more like mom again’ it whispered but he argued back in his head ‘I don’t deserve to look like her when I couldn’t even save you.’  
-  
Hanzo didn’t stop drinking, he just slowed down. His hand was steadier when he wasn't drinking but it wasn't like the company could tell really. They trusted Abeni not to invite just anyone into their clutches and she delivered. Hanzo was a good shot and easily covered their backs as they went out.  
The worst parts were the questions, you don't put your life in the hands of others without a little sharing. Abeni didn't want traitors in her midst and she pressed Hanzo the most.  
“I’ve heard some vicious rumors about you dragons” she spoke over her glass in the quiet mess hall. Hanzo glances over his glass at her and went back to drinking. “They say you’re a cold killer, anything for your clan. That you were locked out after being too cold.”  
Hanzo let his liquor roll around his tongue before he responded. “That’s rich coming from a cold criminal organization.”  
“You see that’s what I thought, but then I heard what you did and it makes sense why they exiled you. It takes a special kind of man to murder their brother.”   
Hanzo paused in his drink. “It does, and there will come a day I will face what I have done. That day is not today though.” he finished his drink and sighed. “Is there anything else you want from me?”  
Abeni sighed and finished her drink. “None of the small teams really need a sniper and I don't think I can trust you with a large group of men, despite how advanced you are in combat and tactical decisions. I’ve been talking with the groups and the first person we can find that comes close to your skill level we’re making you a pair strike team. Don't take it as such a shock when the time comes.”   
Hanzo paused and nodded with a sneer, he would have prefered to work alone but it was a start.  
-  
Hanzo saved his money without really thinking, there wasn’t anything he needed or wanted that the company didn’t provide and he didn’t want to encourage any would be bounty hunters on his trail. Hoffman kept him busy the most, scouting and planning missions for the teams, despite his age and proclivity to chatter through everything he had a head for tactics and communication. He played a very good wandering tourist and was very good at reaching annoying places for Hanzo to cover the team from.  
Abeni had different uses for him, mostly when he was off jobs he trained younger recruits, weeding out the ones who could keep up and would advance and the ones who would stay and practice. It was calming work that kept him busy enough but his nights in, after them were the worst. The nightmares drove him deeper and the constant weight on his shoulders made him irritable on bad days and quiet on good ones. Abeni worried, as did Hoffman, but neither wanted to push him and so it stayed quiet.  
Hanzo kept his head down and his hands as busy as they could be and when he looked up months had passed in the company of Hoffman and Abeni. The date on the calendar read April 30th and he had to take a pause. It had nearly been a year, and the longer he stared at the calendar the more he realized that he couldn’t honor his brother without going back to face the place he left.  
He packed a travel bag and approached Abeni. “I wish to take a week off. I know it’s short notice but we don’t have anything planned and if something happens I’ll be back as soon as I can.”   
Abeni paused and looked him over. Taking in his travel bag with her too sharp eyes before she nodded. “Go, and be back by the eighth or I’m docking your pay.” She went back to her computer with a small nod.   
Hanzo didn’t realize the rush of gratitude that filled him as he turned out of the room and went to plan his trip back to his once home.   
-  
Getting through the border was easier this time with Hoffman’s help, he chattered the entire time but produced papers that declared him Sheol Bane and cleared him for travel there and back.   
“How long have you had these?” Hanzo interrupted Hoffman’s stream of talking as he looked over the papers.  
For once Hoffman went quiet. “Almost 4 months. AA told me about your brother, the teams were gossiping and I had to know if it was true because from what I remembered you two were close and there was no way that you would kill him, and I figured that one day you might need to go and clean up whatever mess you’re running from. Or you would go back to apologize, the point being, I don’t know where you came from, or what really brought you in front of my path, but I know that look in your eyes, you’re fighting something fierce. Anything I could do to help you win that fight would make me sleep easier.”  
Hanzo paused and reached out pulling the younger man into a hug. “Thank you” he spoke softly and nodded at the young boy. “This will help, more then you know.” He pulled away and picked up his bags.   
Hoffman cleared his throat, eyes bright with some sort of emotion that Hanzo didn’t want to place. “Just come back to us. Me and AA will miss you.”   
Hanzo nodded and walked out the door.  
-  
The flight was boring and the papers that Hoffman had gotten slipped him right into the country with ease. It was strange to be back, to see the town he grew up in hadn’t changed much in the years. He walked by places he would haunt in his younger years. Took to the roofs to look over the city like he was ducking his guards again or playing hide and seek with his brother.   
May 3rd hit and he got spectacularly drunk, full of emotions that he hated and that drove him farther into the bottle. He couldn’t bring himself to cry that night.  
The next three days were spent sober. One day to scout ahead, to see his old house in the bright shining lights and see the starting of the decorations for childrens day. He wanted to drink that night but his mind wouldn’t let him fall so easily into oblivion.  
The dawn of Children’s day brought out the festivities and Hanzo spent it on the roofs, tracing the paths of bright green kites and imagining a past that would always be brighter than his future, He imagined plans for staying, taking down the rest of his family. It felt bittersweet to finish what they started alone. If he left it, maybe he could have something to come back to doing when it was time for his life to end. It would be his final act no matter how he thought of it, and he couldn’t leave Hoffman and Abeni like that, he would say a real goodbye before then.   
Night fell far too slowly and at the same time too quickly. He brought offerings and broke into his once home. Security was lax, only two deaths separating him from the main hall of his house, the scroll still bloodstained and before it sat his swords, a final resting place for them both.   
When he died it would be right here, never before.   
He prayed.  
-  
The next day was a trip back, he didn’t drink until he touched back down on American soil, going and getting drunk before going back to his bunk he would check back in with Hoffman and Abeni in the morning.  
-  
His return wasn’t heralded by anything more than a nod from Abeni and a small hug when no one else was around from Hoffman. It was back to work before he knew it, but he could now see the world outside his job, he spent more time with Abeni, planning missions and handling the cash.   
Work in Abeni’s circle required he pay a bit more attention to the news so when the death of the Shamada elders came across his data pad he brushed it aside, another had beaten him to half the game, others would step up and run the empire, but it would get much harder to predict at this point where they would go. At least the Elders had a direction. Hanzo told Abeni not to schedule anything in Hanamura for a few months just to be on the safe side.   
-  
Hanzo had the reports from the most recent job from Hoffman, having read over them and marked some interesting things he had noted in the margins he walked over to Abeni’s office. He knocked and entered in one motion knowing that Abeni didn’t have any meetings planned for today. The chair in front of Abeni’s desk was full though, a dark red serape wrapped around brad shoulders and a unmistakable hat sat on top of a mess of dark hair. It had been years but Hanzo doubted he could ever forget the drawl that crawled out from the man.  
“A, You and I both know that you can use me. Put me somewhere out of the heat for a hot second and then it pays to have me around. I’m the best shot your teams have ever had, and with the Blackwatch under my belt you know I can lead a team.” The man leaned back and waited, a small trail of smoke coming from a face Hanzo was suddenly glad he couldn’t see, it would be too much.   
Abeni raised a single eyebrow at the man. Her mouth fighting a upward twitch that was as close as she got to a smirk as she let herself get, it was also a sign that Hanzo had learned was one of fondness, as it frequently appeared in Hoffman’s endless babble. “I’m sorry to say you aren’t the best shot on any of my team’s anymore Deadeye.” The man scoffed but Abeni had already turned her attention away from the man. “Is that the latest report?” She motioned for Hanzo to hand it forward and he moved into the room and passed her the folder. He could feel the air grow still between the two of them and The man in the hat had finally laid eyes on Hanzo.   
Hanzo elected to not face that can of worms right now instead talking to Abeni like the man wasn’t even in the room. “I’ve marked the interesting and strange parts in the report, nothing pressing. If there’s nothing else I’ll go and sort out the men’s pay.”   
Abeni waved him off with mirth in her eyes. “I will call you back when I’m done here, don’t take too long with payroll.”   
Hanzo nodded and turned to leave catching the first full look of the man. He could no longer deny it was McCree, he had the same eyes, the same face in general. The cowboy looked somewhat calm, his face hadn’t shifted but the hold on his position had tightened, he looked coiled, like a spring wound too tight.   
Hanzo left the room before Mcree made a mess in Abeni’s office, she didn’t deserve to clean that up. But whatever anger had to be boiling in McCree, he deserved every bit of that.


	6. Maybe Things Can Get Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s been two years, and you killed ‘im. Why do you come back?” McCree didn’t look at him his eyes fixated on the splatter.

By the time Hanzo left the payroll room word had spread through the company that Deadeye was back. Everyone was arguing where he would be placed, the protection squad had the best use of his talents but was too public for a wanted man, the more secretive squads were worried he would be placed in charge of one of them, like they were worried when Hanzo had shown up, The general consensus was that Deadeye would lay low in headquarters for a bit and then be tested into a group. It was unclear in the noise of the mess hall if that was a desired thing or not.   
Hanzo grabbed his meal and settled down next to Hoffman to eat. It was strangely quiet, no bubbling chatter from Hoffman, no discussion of what he was going to take over the Rec room with this weekend, just quiet.  
Hanzo spoke first. “I’m sure if you play a samurai movie this weekend Deadeye won’t mind.” The name felt weird on his tongue, at least the nickname helped separate the man he saw today from the man he slept with, or the man who used to help him and his brother rip apart a criminal organization.   
Hoffman smiled slightly and moved in closely. “Don’t tell anyone but Abeni has a job already lined up for him, she had me set up a two man strike operation in the middle of Numbani. It’s only a matter time before she announces his partner, and that’s a hard job, to be able to keep up with him and get things done. I almost feel bad for however many partners he’s going to have to run through. He’s just too good for anyone from a team to be his partner.”  
Hanzo’s chopsticks fell from his fingers.   
“She’s going to send me.” His voice sounded far away and quiet, he had been keeping up with his training, he was as sharp as he had been when he left Hanamura but this was McCree. Hanzo swallowed down bile, suddenly not hungry.  
Hoffman paused and nodded, more happily. “You two are the most technically skilled in the company, we’ll have to see if you two can work together.”   
Hanzo stood up and moved to clear his partly eaten food. “I have to go talk to Abeni.” Hoffman looked concerned but still nodded.  
-  
Abeni didn’t look confused when Hanzo walked into her office before she called him. His voice held firm as he spoke. “There is some history between me and the one you call Deadeye, I am unsure if I can work with him.”   
She set aside the paper she had been working with. “He asked quite a few questions about you after you came in. Where we found you, What you do for the company, basic information things but I know Deadeye, played too many rounds of poker with that asshole, you and him had a relationship at one point.”   
Hanzo flinched. “It’s a bit more complicated then that, he knew me before I was exiled, he knew my brother.”   
The silence stretched out. “All I’m asking for is one mission Hanzo, if it doesn’t work I’ll find a small team he can lead and you can pull back to doing what you were before he came. He’s my friend as you are, and I won’t turn him away. Don’t fuck up the chemistry of my teams because you can’t be an adult about this Hanzo.” Abeni held out a thin folder to him. “The past is the past here, nothing that came before matters as long as you don’t bring more heat than you can dissuade.” Hanzo took the folder carefully, reading over the specifics of the mission, just a simple snatch and grab.  
One mission. It couldn’t be too bad.  
-  
That night was the worst though, the anxiety left his meditation in shambles and his mind going in circles. Hanzo picked up his bow and made his way to the training hall. Too keyed up for anything except for shooting. The range was still a little short for his liking but as he settled into a rhythm he found his mind clearing.   
He didn’t pause at the sound of the door opening but faltered a moment at the clink of spurs against the hard floor. The bow lowered and he set the arrow down next to him.   
McCree’s voice rang out in the empty hall “I was going to hunt you down after I spent some time here. AA has made it abundantly clear that you are a valued member of the company and a bunch of other shit, but I didn’t want to hunt you down to kill you. I want to know, did you mean to kill him?”   
Hanzo’s breath caught in the silence. “What does it matter if I meant to, I did it in the end.” His voice sounded wrong, too heavy and too tired. His hand gripped his bow harder.  
McCree’s gun sounded funny, heavy and final as it slipped out of it’s holster. “I don’t think you meant too. See I listened before I left, I watched you protect him and he only demanded your safety from blackwatch. I never really had a family like that ya see, but you don’t-”  
“I killed him because he got in my way.” the lie slipped from his mouth calmly as if he had practiced it. At least if he was dying at the hands of someone who cared about Genji it would be atonement. “He was becoming a problem so I got rid of him.” Hanzo didn’t turn, his back still to the cowboy, his hand relaxed on his bow though.  
The sharp click of spurs on the ground ended with the cold press of the gun against the back of his skull. Hanzo relaxed even more, his eyes slipping closed. This close he could smell the sharp tang of gunpowder and the undercurrent of spice and smoke that hung around McCree. He let his mind fall blank, calm as he was going to die.  
“The only thing keeping you alive right now is that AA trusts you. The moment you become a problem I won’t hesitate to end your life. You won’t pull the same shit you pulled with your brother on me.” McCree’s voice was harsh and biting, he had every right to be. The sharp slap of the words were punctuated by the lowering of the gun and the sharp click of spurs leaving the hall.   
Hanzo sagged against the wall of the range, looking at the target as his eyes started to water. Hot tears fell against his skin and his hands shook as he tried to grip his bow.   
“I wanted to kill him” he muttered to himself, the artifical lights flickered and became bright sunbeams in the summer.   
“I wanted to kill him” he spoke softly, a mantra as he dropped his bow and saw a splatter of blood on the walls, sprays from sharp cuts into flesh.   
“I wanted to kill him” he sobbed, his breath catching as his hands gripped the counter and he fell to his knees.   
“I wanted…” his breath stuck on the lie. No matter how many times he repeated it he couldn’t make it true, he bit his lip until he tasted blood. The flood of pain and copper making the truth seem clearer. If he could just believe this lie, the lie the world sees as the truth everything would move easier.  
-  
Hoffman stumbled into the room a few moments later. “Hanzo!” his touch was gentle as he rubbed over the older man’s back. “I swear, I’ll make Deadeye pay for this. Can’t he tell when to stop? You obviously changed, you’re here and AA wouldn’t trust you if you were really a murdering asshole.”  
Hanzo shook his head “I killed him, I wanted too…” another sob broke through his bloody lips and he held himself close.  
Hoffman shook his head. “You may be a killer Dragons, but never in cold blood and never your own kin” he shushed Hanzo down from another bout of sobbing, his hand rubbing slow circles on the older man’s shoulder. “You put up with my chatter and always consider my crazy plans, everyone’s always telling me I’m a bother and a problem, but never you.” Tears slowed under Hoffman’s chatter. “And you gave me a hug as I saw you off to Hanamura! You don’t do casual touches but you did it for me! And you looked so broken when you left for that trip, like you would break if I said anything. Deadeye doesn’t know that! He doesn’t know how broken up you were about the death you supposedly caused. He’s wrong and you can’t go on a mission with him, He’ll kill you!”  
“It’s already been decided-” Hanzo tried to speak up but Hoffman continued to talk.  
“I’ll show AA the video! She won’t send you on a death mission just because you two are the most evenly matched skill levels in the company.”  
Hanzo spoke up a little louder and Hoffman shut up. “You won’t, She’s asked me to try and I will try. Deadeye will deal or he will be dead.”  
“I…..” Hoffman paused to think before sighing “I’ll be listening from the coms, I’ll be sure you’re safe okay?”   
Hanzo nodded and they sat there a moment longer before Hoffman stood up gently. “You had better get some sleep, your first mission starts in a few hours.”  
-  
The first mission went off perfectly and despite the tension the two of them worked well together. Abeni kept them together as a package deal. They did the jobs others might not come back from, high rates of fire, sneaking jobs, and rescue missions. Nothing ever planned more than a few hours in advance.   
They called them Anachronisms, Dragons and Deadeye, stepping out of a children's book to save the day. Twice as deadly as any team but cold and not quite in sync.   
Hanzo knew the truth of that statement more than any other. He could shoot better than he had ever before, precise because he had to avoid McCree’s wild rolls and the unpredictable way their communication worked. It wasn’t a pretty partnership, but it was functional because it had to be.  
-  
There was an upside to working with McCree, time passed quickly. The unpredictable nature of their jobs saw that he was well traveled by the time the end of April rolled around they were back in the base. Hanzo’s away bag carefully packed but no mission called. He made his way to Abeni’s office, ignoring McCree as he slid into step beside him.   
“We’ve got another job? It’s been what three days? Damn AA’s working us to the bone.” He rolled cigar in his lips and put it out on the wall “I was really hoping to have some time off.”  
Hanzo sighed softly. “We do have time off, a week for whatever you want to do Deadeye-san.”  
McCree made a disgusted face. “Don’t call me that, if you’re going to use a -san don’t call me Deadeye.”  
Abeni looked up as Hanzo entered her office before glancing at the calendar and nodding. “You’re free to go. Hoffman has your papers. If I need you I’ll call but I’ll try not to need you.”  
Hanzo nodded pushing past McCree.  
-  
Children’s day was easier this year. The city seemed to relax more, as if things had finally relaxed from his childhood.  
As Hanzo broke into his old house he noticed the lack of guards with a hesitant step. It didn’t stop his path or the begining of his prayers. The small shift of fabric on fabric made him pause in his prayers.  
“Leave, You aren’t the first assassin I’ve faced and you won’t be the last.” he replied from rote, too many attempts on his life had made him jaded on any attempts on his life afterword.   
The voice that called out was light and muffled like speaking through layers of fabric. “I would prefer you to finish making whatever peace you can.” and then she made the mistake of stepping out from her hiding spot. Not the sword on her back or the guns on her side stopped Hanzo’s arrow from piercing her eye and slamming her body onto the ground dead.  
“I’m sorry another had to die in this place” he spoke softly and set his bow back down. Praying softly.  
The next noise he knew better than to shoot at, the click of spurs on the hard ground made flinch slightly. “AA need us in the air in an hour, an Op went bad. Time to play rescue again.” McCree’s voice was quiet as he walked up next to Hanzo and looked at the blood splatter. “Is this where it happened.”  
Hanzo let out a breath and went to pick up his objects. “Yes” he put the items up carefully before standing.  
“It’s been two years, and you killed ‘im. Why do you come back?” McCree didn’t look at him his eyes fixated on the splatter.   
Hanzo’s voice shook slightly as he spoke. “He was my brother, no amount of time will change what happened, but maybe one day his spirit will forgive me.” He turned and started out the door. “Right now I honor him by each thing I do, and when it’s time for my life to end I’ll come and finish what we started. It will be a great honor to die for the same cause he did in the end.” It wasn’t the whole truth, it was bits and pieces of it, but for now it would be enough.  
McCree turned and looked at Hanzo closely, but motioned them out of the building. They had a job to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So life caught up with me, but I have more and haven't forgotten this story!

**Author's Note:**

> Go give some love to my Beta reader, she does so much for me (Including dealing with my break downs and losing my muse.)  
> Coda-Fangirl.tumblr.com  
> And I have a playlist I write to, if you wanted some backdrop to your reading.  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/ctsouthworth/playlist/69OZXYxgcIZ8rhtzwybzI7


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